ORAS UU Sparrow Offence

sparrow · Jun 28, 2016

Presenting Sparrow Offence, the team itself doesn't have a central focus or end goal, each member of the team is very important and they all focus towards 1 of 3 possible members sweeping end game. Utilising quite unorthodox sets, the surprise factor of this team normally provides an advantage. Against opponents who have previously faced this team, mind games become your best friend.

TEAM BUILDING PROCESS

I originally began with a defensive core, focused around SpDef Gligar and Toxic Spikes Tentacruel.

I needed something for Ghost, Dark & Psychic types. Hydreigon was a good fit, I gave it Scarf, seeing as opposing Taunt Hydreigon could be a big problem down the line.

Comfortable with my hazard stacking core and revenge killer I looked at the type of strategy I wanted to employ. I wanted to abuse Toxic Spikes as well as block Pokemon such as Forretress which threatened to Rapid Spin hazards away. I ended up adding a Substitute Cobalion and Substitute Chandelure.

Abomasnow was the last member, of course I needed a Mega-Evolution. I was also weak to Ground-Type Pokemon. I ran a Leech Seed set which abused switch-ins (Rocks + Tspikes + Leech Seed + Hail) and was pretty nifty at keeping Aboma healthy.

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The team pretty much got slaughtered by Nidoking/queen and Mega-Blatoise. A good friend of mine suggested that I run Blissey. They also suggested running Counter, as the team was quite weak to Fighting-Type Pokemon.

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Small things required patching up at this point. Scarf Hydreigon gave Slurpuff the opportunity to steamroll the team. Lucario gave me Bullet Punch and a lot more power over Cobalion.

HISTORY

I play Pokemon for fun, I am not a tournament player or consider myself to have a large presence in the UU community - I find it too stressful. This team has consistently bought me ladder success and won many room tours. I feel as though mastering this team will help the average player obtain a better understanding of how to play and predict offensively, hopefully bringing them similar success. I am currently sitting at 50-3 and #2 on the Pokemon Showdown! server. Let that be an example of why I consider this team to be good.

IN DEPTH

Abomasnow-Mega @ Abomasite
Ability: Soundproof
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpA
Brave Nature
- Blizzard
- Giga Drain
- Ice Shard
- Growth

Abomasnow the wall breaker, my primary answer to bulky Water & Ground type Pokemon. Beyond that, Abomasnow is a great stop to offensive sweepers such as Sharpedo, Feraligatr & Salamence. Not much really enjoys switching into Abomasnow, and with a +1 in SpA even solid answers are going to get chunked. Blobs that switch in provide free healing through a +1 Giga Drain and offensive checks such as Cobalion, Doublade & Entei don't enjoy a third of their HP being depleted - switching into Blizzard.

The goal of this Abomasnow is to provide early-mid game disruption, whittling down the opponents team and creating openings - setting up a sweep for either Lucario or Hydreigon. Not that the sweeping is left to them, +1 Ice Shard puts in work versus offence builds - picking off weakened Pokemon, such as; Crobat, Nidoking & Nidoqueen.

The EVs are fairly straight forward, considering this is mixed Abomasnow I opted for maximum HP, making use of its 95 / 105 / 105 bulk. Full investment in SpA powers up Blizzard & Giga Drain and the rest is thrown into Atk. Ice Shard outside of Rocks can KO scarf Salamence after hail 100% of the time with a Brave nature. This set also makes for an interesting match up versus Trick Room builds.

Hydreigon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
- Fire Blast

Hydreigon is a great emergency check against late game sweepers. The list of Pokemon that Hydreigon stops from sweeping this team is enormous: Mega-Beedrill, Mega-Aerodactyl, Mega-Absol, Azelf, Crawdaunt, Cobalion, Chandelure, Darmanitan, Doublade, Espeon, Haxorus, Metagross and Toxicroak.

Hydreigon acts as a great early game pivot, scaring out threats and creating openings for Mega-Abomasnow, Lucario & Chandelure to come in.

Hydreigon also finds itself filling the late game sweeper roll, Blissey does a fine job of eliminating almost all Fighting-Type Pokemon, the combination of Chandelure + Tentacruel beat up Fairy-Type Pokemon and Lucario takes on Dark-Type Pokemon. What's left of the opposing team normally folds to Scarf Hydreigon.

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 144 HP / 172 SpA / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off

Tentacruel is arguably the best non-Mega Rapid Spin Pokemon in the tier. Tentacruel has many opportunities to switch-in and clear hazards against an opposing team. Using it's bulk and speed to it's advantage this Tentacruel can come in versus Fire, Fighting & Fairy type attacks to get off a safe spin or lay it's own hazards.

The EVs allow Tentacruel to out speed Jolly Krookodile and KO with Hydro Pump the majority of the time, also functioning as a great lure for Mamoswine. Knock Off removes recovery from opposing spinners and bulky Pokemon, the other benefit is an almost guaranteed KO versus Hoopa.

Utilising Clear Body as an ability Tentacruel can also come in against Sticky Web builds and spin with out threat of being slower than opposing Pokemon.

Blissey @ Chople Berry
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Counter
- Soft-Boiled
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss

Blissey is a necessary evil for this team, a dedicated Special Wall, Stealth Rock setter, and amazing lure in one. Blissey helps this team stop threats such as Nidoqueen, Nidoking, Mega-Blastoise & Sylveon to name a few.

The EVs are fairly straight forward and don't really require an explanation.

The main draw to using this version of Blissey is Counter + Chople Berry. Blissey can take a hit from almost all Fighting-Type Pokemon (Choice Band Mienshao High-Jump Kick has a chance to OHKO) and remove them from play. Blissey is also a great lead versus opposing Mega-Beedrill, normally ending with a free OHKO early game.

Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Extreme Speed
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance

Lucario is a threat to any team in the tier. Once its checks and counters have been severely weakened or removed Lucario is bound to sweep. Mid-game Lucario isn't a slouch either, Life Orb Close Combat hurts, and threatening to Swords Dance at any time is always in the back of your opponents head. Lucario is my secondary wall breaker. Pokemon that can normally switch-in versus Mega-Abomasnow, don't enjoy a Lucario double.

The spread is fairly self explanatory and straight forward, the only thing to note when using Lucario is to keep it safe if you see Slurpuff around. Bullet Punch is one of the only answers this team has. If all goes well and the team has eliminated opposing Ghost Type Pokemon, Cobalion, Nido's and Gligar - Lucario has a very good chance of sweeping.

Chandelure @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 52 HP / 200 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Pain Split

Not so standard Chandelure (explanation here). Chandelure likes to deter Fighting and Fire type Pokemon, and takes advantage of fat Pokemon that can't touch it. This Chandelure also takes advantage of Toxic Spikes set by Tentacruel. Once a single layer of Tspikes have been set Chandelure can almost 2HKO every Pokemon in the metagame, excluding Normal & Dark types.

The EVs mean that Jolly Slurpuff cannot OHKO with Play Rough at +6. It also means that Umbreon, Sableye & Mandibuzz cannot break the Substitute once Burned, in the case of the latter two once Chandelure's item has been removed.

THREAT LIST

Fortunately Conkeldurr has toppled this monster in usage, Dynamic Punch can spell doom for counter Blissey.

Crawdaunt can come in on Blissey and set-up Swords Dance with little to no drawbacks. Make sure Hydreigon is alive for this one (don't switch in on Superpower).

Nothing can switch-in versus Band-Bat. Hydreigon is a decent revenge, and if worse comes to worst use Blissey's enormous HP to increase Brave Bird recoil.

Don't sack Hydreigon and you should be sweet. It will try to come in on Blissey, so double to Hydrei or Chandy normally scare it out.

Calm Mind Pokemon that aren't Water-type. Don't let them accumulate boosts. Chandelure can put in work once they're afflicted with a status condition. In the case of Florges, keeping it low enough for Lucario's Bullet Punch should be suffice.

Be wary of Choice Band Goodra, no problem with other sets.

If you're careless with mega-Abomasnow Choice Scarf Salamence can sweep.

Scout the coverage of CurseLax. Don't switch-in Chandelure or Lucario on an EQ.

If this is Swords Dance Knock Off, Chandelure is no longer a good switch.

[x] if Dragon Dance + Rest.

REPLAYS

IMPORTABLE

http://pastebin.com/raw/6nX5ZSbt

CLOSING WORDS

As I mentioned earlier, I enjoy playing Pokemon and Pokemon Showdown! is my preferred escape from reality. Sometimes I find myself on PS! almost daily and the UU room is one of the biggest reasons for it. I guess this is my shout out to the entire UU room on PS!, if you've spoken to me in the past or we have conversed in any way, whether it be during a match (me being salty), just casually through chat or through PMs - I would like to say thanks. Thank you for taking the time to read the RMT, I hope the team will bring you similar success.

KACAW

Adaam · Jun 28, 2016

Sparrow smh where's the replay of me handing you your third loss? Anyway I really don't have any big changes, the team is good and Counter Blissey is heat. Birds are obviously the biggest problem but there isn't much you can do to fix it. All I have is to run 0 Speed IVs on Abomasnow. Getting outsped by Forry may seem bad to give an opportunity to spin, but as long as Chandy is alive it's probably going to click Volt Switch, and by running 0 IVs you smack the switch in with a Blizzard rather than letting Forry pivot.

Vapo · Jun 30, 2016

Hey man, really interesting team that obvious has been doing extremely well. I don't have a ton of suggestions since you've already proven it's a solid squad, but I think there are a few tweaks you can make that'll help you address certain threats a bit better. I agree with DaB that you should give Abomasnow 0 speed IVs to punish your opponent for attempting to pivot with Forretress. I also think adding a few more speed EVs to Tentacruel would be a pretty safe change. If you change your spread to 120 HP / 172 SpA / 216 Spe you'll outspeed base 95s like Darmanitan and Kyurem, letting you get an additional hit or spin off while giving up a negligible amount of bulk. One last thing I would suggest is changing Lucario's nature to Adamant. On double priority Lucario, I don't typically find the extra speed necessary, as it really only lets you outspeed Toxicroak and some Heracross, and neither of these pokemon can check you after a boost regardless of nature since Adamant Extreme Speed and Jolly Close Combat both get guaranteed KOs after rocks. The power boost from Adamant vastly improves your wallbreaking capabilities, giving you a much better chance of 2HKOing Reuniclus and guaranteeing the OHKO on defensive Swampert after rocks (both after a boost).

Found True Love · Jul 1, 2016

I remember facing this team several times on the ladder and it's really good. Really, really good. Whenever I ran into you using this team I always knew it was going to be a hard game. My favorite part of the team is actually the Tentacruel set/spread which beats every spinblocker I've tried.

My one humble suggestion to this amazing team is to go CM > Will-O-Wisp on Chande. While CM Hex Chande might sound a little crazy at first, you are running Toxic Spikes and I can't imagine Will-O-Wisp gets much use. What are you going to be Wisping, Doublade? Lucario? I don't think the team is that weak to those two to begin with and CM will vastly improve the team's match up vs. stall (not that it has a bad match up now or anything; CM Chande simply 6-0's most stall teams) and would also provide the team with another wincon.

I'm basing this advice off the one time I did beat this team (although keep in mind this was pre-drops/rises): http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-367153212

While this replay is out of date, I still think it's useful to look at and looking back I think had you been running CM Chande you would have won fairly easily. There are a couple points in that battle where CM Chande could have set up and I would have been able to do very little to stop it and I don't think I could've in the long run. Like I said, CM Chande bodies most stall builds both and pre- and post- drops (although even more so in the current meta, actually) and another wincon is just always nice in general.

This is just one tiny possibly tweak to a great team though. Seriously, I love this team. Great, great job dude.

Christo · Jul 2, 2016

Hey Sparrow, cool team and really impressive ladder peak! I love the way you can use original and innovative sets in ways that work. The team is obviously quite good, but I do have a couple of suggestions that I believe overall make the team more effective.

Whenever I use Abomasnow, I too prefer to run more bulk than speed. However, I find Doublade to be too big of an issue for you not to run enough speed for it. Doublade is essentially in for free vs Blissey and Lucario. At +2 it can win with a weakened Hydreigon, and I know that is a great revenge killer, but keeping it healthy is easier said than done. Hydreigon is the only reasonable switch in, and if it takes one Iron Head + Stealth Rock, Doublade will eventually win later on in that match at +2. Due to this, I suggest you run a spread of 192 HP / 252 SpA / 64 Spe on Abomasnow. That is not too much HP investment lost, and I know Abomasnow is not a good Doublade revenge killer at all, but the ability to get ~40% off is crucial with a team this vulnerable to Doublade.

My other suggestion, which is more minor, is running Adamant > Jolly on Lucario(In agreement w/ Vapo). CM Florges is a pretty big issue for the team amongst other things like Aerodactyl, so the added damage you can get with Bullet Punch is worth it imo. This does mean Entei outspeeds, but I think you can handle it fine with 3 decent checks in Hydreigon, Chandelure, and speedy Tentacruel.

Hope you consider my suggestions. Cool team, man

.

jjoshcja · Jul 3, 2016

If you're wondering why the lucario is jolly... It's because when ruses are known, other SD lucario's tear through this team like it's made of wet paper. Without the last chance lucario speed tie once hydrie has taken one rocks hit it's game over if lucario ever gets a free turn, and with counterbliss, growth snow, and scarfdrie it's not exactly lacking settup opportunities.

(You should probably add other lukes to that threatlist sparrow lad)

ORAS UU Sparrow Offence

sparrow

kacaw

Adaam

إسمي جف

Vapo

water me

Found True Love

Christo

jjoshcja

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